


Struck Down

by gourmet_vomit



Series: Fire Emblem Drabbles/Oneshots [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M, nileo if you squint really hard, the violence isnt super graphic but i tagged it just to be safe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 22:24:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7072909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gourmet_vomit/pseuds/gourmet_vomit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternatively titled "Shit. Fuck."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Struck Down

It was a normal battle. Or… It should have been. But it wasn’t. Leo is lying on the floor with a lance through his gut and blood trickling from his mouth. And Niles doesn’t know what to do. For once in his life, he is completely and utterly speechless. He has no idea what to do. He can’t stop staring. Usually he likes is when people get hurt but now he’s terrified. Leo can’t stop coughing. He’s coughing up so much blood. This doesn’t feel real. This has to be a dream. He’s going to wake up tomorrow and everything will be okay. Right?

But no. This is really happening. He has to move quickly. To protect what little is left of Leo’s life. But he can’t. He can’t move at all. Time is ticking away and he knows that Leo could take his last breath any minute. But he feels so fucking useless because he’s frozen. He needs to call for a healer but he can’t find his voice.

He keeps reliving that moment. Keeps hearing that disgusting squishing and cracking as the lance pierced Leo’s body. It should have been Niles. They should have attacked him instead. He deserves to die. Leo deserves to live forever. Where will Niles go after this? Where can he go? The man who gave him all he has today is dying on the ground right in front of him. And at that, he finally finds his voice.

“Medic!!”

His voice rips through the air, cutting through the noise of battle. But nobody seems to hear. Or if they do hear, they don’t care. They wouldn’t let their Prince die like this. Niles knows they wouldn’t. Even if they would, Niles couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t keep trying to catch someone’s attention.

“We need a medic over here!”

Leo’s breathing quickens and becomes labored. His eyes are beginning to gloss over. His skin is going much paler than usual. He’s stopped coughing, but blood is still trickling out of his mouth. The soldier who took him down had managed to catch a split between two plates of Leo’s armor. The lance is still stuck in Leo’s side, which might be for the better. If it had been removed, Leo would be bleeding out much more quickly. At least that soldier was kind in one respect.

After what seemed like hours, Felicia finally warped to the pair. And she was struck hard by the sight before her. Even though she hadn’t served Lord Leo directly, seeing a member of the Nohrian family on the brink of death is almost too much for her to handle. She feels tears prick her eyes, but there will be time for mourning later. She snaps back to her wits and uses her staff to warp her and the Prince back to safety. They wouldn’t exactly be in the heat of battle right there, but it’s still far too dangerous to treat Lord Leo there.

Just like that, the only sign that Leo ever fought by Niles’ side is a darkening blood stain on the grass. Now that the gory sight of Lord Leo impaled is away from him, he finds it in him to continue the battle. It would be bad enough if one life was lost today, let alone two. Niles had to keep fighting for the both of them.

~~~

By nightfall, the battle is won. Prince Xander secured yet another victory, and orders his troops to fall back to the capital. The royal family and those affiliated with them are to return to Castle Krakenburg. With any luck, Lord Leo would be there as well. But Niles can’t shake the feeling that he may have seen his Prince for the last time.

The march back to Castle Krakenburg is a solemn one for Niles. The army feels empty. The others seem to have noticed that Leo and Felicia are missing, but nobody seems to be reacting. Leo has always been a bit of a loner, and it’s not as if Felicia is missed when she is absent. In fact, the other soldiers seem to be grateful without her clumsiness slowing them down.

When the castle is finally reached, Niles makes it his mission to find Lord Leo. Out of habit, he slips through Castle Krakenburg unseen, moving swiftly through the secret passages that only a select few know about. He wasn’t intended to be one of those select few, but Niles has a way of finding out things he has no right to know.

He quickly reaches the second floor west hall, where Lord Leo’s private quarters are located. He finally decides to make himself seen. He learned long ago that it was not the greatest idea to appear to breaking into any part of the castle, especially not anyone’s private quarters. He gives a very quiet knock on the large wooden door before opening it slowly, being extra cautious not to make too much noise.

A massive wave of relief washes over him as he sees his Lord sleeping soundly in the large bed. Lord Leo is alive. Maybe not well, but at least alive. Safe for the time being. And that’s all that matters. Niles has the overwhelming urge to go sit on Lord Leo’s bed. To give a gentle kiss to his pale hand. But he eventually decides against it, not wanting to wake Leo up. There will be time for that eventually, because Leo is safe. But, for now, it’s time to walk away.

Lord Leo is going to live. And Niles can rest easy tonight.


End file.
